Quijano: Heredia’s technique

THE spate of bad luck that has befallen our boxers in championship bouts was halted last weekend when Edrin Dapudong annexed the IBO junior bantamweight title by knocking out Gideon Buthelezi in the first round in the latter’s hometown.

Apropos to that achievement, “The Sting” is currently the toast of fistic town, and many are curious on how he was able to pull off such a magnificent feat, considering that Buthelezi triumphed in their first encounter via controversial split decision.

In his column at www.philboxing.com, Manny Piñol, former governor of Cotabato, boxing philanthropist and manager recently gave credit to Memo Heredia for working wonders with Dapudong’s nutritional requirements before and after the weigh-in.

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You will recall, of course, that Heredia was associated with illegal use of steroids and supplements related to the Balco scandal. He was also working with Juan Manuel Marquez during the latter’s recent knockout victory over Manny Pacquiao.

Piñol shares that despite the initial reluctance over Heredia’s reputation, he relented and was impressed with the changes that Heredia suggested on Dapudong’s diet, which was crucial.

For the benefit of our die-hard boxing fans who have no internet access, here is what Gov. Pinol revealed:

1. Water intake before and after the weigh-in was monitored.

2. Dapudong was given bananas and apple first and followed by pasta and sweets;

3. The old practice of giving beef soup, rice and unlimited water and salty food after
the weigh-in was abandoned;

4. Instead of Gatorade, hydrites mixed with water was used.

BART. It has always been a cause of common concern among trainers and the subject of numerous queries from fans on why our boxers are often bedeviled by stamina woes.

Is it because of our diet? Is it due to an inherent genetic predisposition? Is it because of erroneous nutritional advice?

The foregoing technique implemented by Heredia is quite instructive, but hardly novel.

It’s just a matter of acceptance. In the world of sports, nothing is set in stone, as new techniques are always discovered, developed and perfected.

I am a student of the game, but I am no nutritionist. I can only refer to my own
research and the articles I have come across. In line with this topic, let me share
with you an excerpt from the book “A Fighter’s Heart” by Sam Sheridan.

In that book, the author Sam Sheridan shares what was taught to him by a nutritionist /body builder who was handling the weight concerns of a fighter who was 12 pounds overweight coming into a Muay Thai match with only fifteen hours left.

In that fight, solely due to the technique implemented by Bart Van Der Molen, his fighter won as he did not gas out. Here’s Bart:

“Well, normally, I’d take all the salt out of his diet about two days before the weigh-in, but this case, we didn’t have time so I used potassium sparing diuretic. Sodium holds water in the skin, and potassium holds water in the muscles, and we don’t want to touch that muscle, the heart after all is a muscle.

Now, everyone is panicking in the morning when Steve still weighs seventy six kilos, but it was just the start of the process. Basically, Steve had to piss all the water out of his system, out of his skin, and if he stops pissing, you have to make him start again. Get him flowing, and his body starts flushing and overflushes, without touching the water in his muscles…the trick is putting it back in; he’s dehydrated and needs electrolytes, and he feels like crap.

Every half an hour I’d ask him how he was feeling, and slowly put the electrolytes and carbs back in him. Don’t give him anything high on sugar, he’ll spike his insulin and then he’ll crash—and in the beginning nothing with salt, only an hour before the fight. It’ll help him hydrate. I gave Steve potato chips: salts, fats, and carbohydrates. As we got closer to the fight, more sugary foods, chocolate bars, electrolyte drinks, an apple. He was feeling pretty bad until about an hour before the fight, and then he started coming back, but you saw how he maintained.”

That sounds strikingly similar to the method used by Heredia on our very own Dapudong.

LAST ROUND. It’s on a wonderful mother-in-law, doting grandma and loving mom, Alma G. Navarro, who celebrates her birthday this week. Cheers!

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